Urban Cabin by MINI LIVING with Sam Jacob Studio

Sep

16-24

2017

MINI LIVING is a long-term research project by MINI which explores the future of urban habitats based on creative use of space through innovative design, the principle of which made the MINI brand so famous since 1959.

In 1995, Rem Koolhaas wrote an essay, "The Generic City", which argued that our metropolises were becoming increasingly homogenous and, like airports, would all look the same in future. MINI LIVING, with its pioneering Urban Cabin concept, wants to tackle this problem head-on. In an era of hyper-urbanisation and increasing pressure on housing supply in the inner city, its proposes turning the sharing economy into an architectural construct for an increasingly nomadic creative class.

The ongoing project by MINI explores the future of urban habitats based on the creative use of space on a small personal footprint, which in a world of streamlined design reflects each city's unique character. The MINI LIVING team designed a micro-house as a research space for relevant urban needs and local identities. The Urban Cabin consists of a clever module reflecting its environment and featuring distinct London characteristics created by architect Sam Jacob.

MINI LIVING believes that the creative use of space is key to finding new approaches for the cities we love. "In a more and more generically designed world, we trust in turning spaces into places. Places that offer local characterisitcs and identify on various layers." says Oke Hauser, Creative Lead of MINI LIVING.

Externally, Jacob's design is inspired by London's rich history of geometric facades, while the interior is conceived as a flexible, imaginative space that pays homage to British eccentricity, further rooting the local fragment within specific traditions. It will be a place of exchange, bringing people together and replicating important elements of urban life: a shared kitchen refers to the importance of food markets, and a micro-library responds to the decreasing number of public libraries.

"The facade of the Urban Cabin is playing with the reflections of its surrounding, while the interior is an interactive space to evaluate personal needs. It's crucial to our design process that we truly understand what makes living in this specific city unique," explains Corinna Natter, Experience Designer at MINI LIVING.

The collaboration between MINI LIVING and Jacob is based on the idea of London as a city of contrasts between past and present. "I've always been interested in combinations, juxtapositions and fusions; in how projects can draw on different references and forge alternative possibilities," Jacob explains. "Often this means bringing apparent opposites together to create unexpected alliances and design languages. The aim is to open up the possibilities of design while also making reference to the world around us."

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